Sewer-shovel.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

M. T. GONNOLLY.

SEWER SHOVEL.

APPLICATION FILED N0v.5,1901.

VA] l/l/A NTTED STATES Patented May 9, 1905.

PATENT @Trice SEWER-SHOVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,258, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed November 5, 1904. Serial No. 231,573.

To all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, MICHAEL T. CoNNoLLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at J ersey City, county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewer-Shovels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sewer-shovels.

Sewer basins and manholes are usually trapped so that they hold three or four feet of water, and in order to clean them the workman has to don a rubber suit and go down into the basin or manhole at considerable inconvenience.

The object of the present invention is the provision of an improved simple, cheap, and durable sewer-shovel which the workman can operate while standing on the street above the basin or manhole and effectively clean out the same; and it further contemplates the provision of a sewer-shovel having a novel adjustable and detachable handle whereby a handle-section of any desired length can be added to the handle of the shovel, according to the depth of the basin or manhole which is to be` cleaned.

The scoop or shovel is of sheet metal and the handle by preference of tubular form, with the sections thereof connected by a screwthreaded sleeve and the joint between the handle and shovel braced on both sides by metal straps, preferably riveted to the handle and shovel,the details of construction being clearly set forth and the novelty of the invention recited in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the complete sewershovel; Fig. 2, a cross-section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a view looking, toward the back of the handle, and Fig. 5 a view looking toward the front of the handle.

The shovel l is of sheet metal, suchl as steel, with the sides 2 and a curved back 3. The handle is formed in sections 4 and 5, connected by an internally-threaded sleeve or coupling 6, engaged with similar screw-threads on the joining ends of the sections-4 and 5. The sections 4 and 5 are preferably of metal tubing or piping and the section 4 of a given length, while the section 5 will be of the required length to suit the depth of the manhole or basin in which the work is being carried on. For instance, the section 4 might have a length of ten feet, and, according to the depth of the manhole or basin, a handle- "section 5 of the required length would be screwed into the sleeve 6. This construction enables the workman to have a handle of any required length, so that the handle will be neither too short nor too long. The handlesection 4 is connected to the shovel 1 by metal straps 7 and 8, located on the inside and outside of the handle and atdiametrically opposite points thereof and on the inside and outside of the shovel 2 at the median line thereof, rivets 9 and 10 being preferably employed to rigidly fasten the straps to the handle 4 and shovel l. The end of the handle-section 4 where it abuts the inner surface of the curved back 3 is cut off on a rounding' bevel, as shown at l1, thereby giving greater strength to the joint on account of the closeness of the fit. The strap 8 has a shoulder 20, which rests on the upper edge of the shovel-back 8 and assists in sustaining the handle in its proper position and prevents settling of the handle from continued use.

In using the shovel the workman stands on the pavement above the manhole or basin and after obtaining a proper length of handle lowers the shovel and scoops out the material repeatedly until the basin or manhole is cleaned.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. 'Asewer-shovel comprisingashovel-blade having a back extending at rightangles thereto, a handle extending at right angles to the shovel-blade and abutting the back thereof, and alined elongated, straight, narrow, rightangular straps connected, respectively, to the inner and vouter faces of the handle by rivets or bolts passing therethrough, said straps eX- tending substantially along the median line of the shovel-blade from the back toward the front edge thereof a relatively great distance and connected thereto by rivets passing therethrough, said straps bracing the' handle and shovel-blade.

IOO

and connected thereto by rivets passing therethrough, said straps bracing the handle and 15 shovelblade the outer of said straps being provided with a shoulder which rests on the upper edge of the shovel-back and assists in sustaining the handle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my 26 signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL T. CONNOLLY.

Witnesses:

JOHNl H. KoENIG, JOHN F. REILLY. 

